Why I Just Cancelled DIRECTV Stream

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, which TV service do you have, and do you like it? Should I get it? — Eddie, Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Eddie, I have DIRECTV Stream, but I just cancelled it. Why? Two reasons:

1. It’s Way Too Expensive
I have the DIRECTV Stream Choice plan because it’s the service’s least expensive package that includes regional sports networks. (I watch the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles on MASN.) But ‘least expensive’ is a relative term. The Choice plan costs $108.99 a month (although it now includes a short-term discount for new customers. See this article for more details.) When you include taxes, that comes to $115 a month, which is too rich for my blood when you consider the Choice plan only includes around 125 channels. I have stayed with Stream because it’s one of only two streamers that carries MASN. (Fubo is the other.) However, that leads to the second reason why I am now cancelling it.

2. The Regular Baseball Season Is Winding Down
I cancelled DIRECTV Stream today so my subscription will not expire until September 20. (When you cancel Stream, you are required to pay for the remainder of what’s left in the next month of billing.) But that means I can watch my local baseball teams until the last week of the season. After that, I won’t need MASN so there’s no point in keeping the expensive DIRECTV Stream (or Fubo) until the 2025 season. Any channels that I cannot subscribe directly to, such as most local network affiliates, I can still watch with a cheaper streaming service such as YouTube TV. ($72.99 a month with discounts available to new customers.) Or I might do without them for a while. One of the great things about live streaming services is that it’s easy to sign up or cancel. There are no two-year agreements or termination penalties.

Bottom line: I strongly urge everyone to examine your current monthly TV bill and decide whether you need what you are currently paying for. We all get lazy and it’s easy to just let a subscription continue long past the reason why we first subscribed. But as I did with DIRECTV Stream, you might be surprised that you no longer need one or more services.

Eddie, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.